Hugo Chávez ‘evil axis’ tour: Looking for love in all the wrong places?
The Venezuelan leader gave Libyan strongman Muammar Qaddafi a warm hug yesterday during his 11-day tour to Russia, Belarus, Syria, Algeria, Libya, and Iran.
By Matthew Clark | Staff writer 09.02.09
It’s like that old country song: “Lookin’ for love in all the wrong places. Lookin’ for love.” (Or as Eddie Murphy would say in his classic SNL skit, “wookin pa nub.”)
That’s what Venezuelan firebrand Hugo Chávez appears to be doing this week on an 11-day trip that trip takes him to Russia, Belarus, Syria, Algeria, Libya, and Iran.
They may be the wrong places only as far as the US is concerned. (It was, after all, Mr. Chavez who joked that his trip would be to the “evil axis” countries.) But for Chávez and his assortment of less-than-US-friendly hosts, the chemistry may be just right.
In fact, Chávez gave Col. Muammar Qaddafi a warm hug as he was welcomed as the guest of honor during festivities to ring in the 40th anniversary of the Libyan strongman’s coup.
Chávez also said he’s “longing” to go to Damascus on Thursday to see his friend, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. There Chávez should be sure to feel the love. Earlier this year, Chávez was ranked as Arabs’ top favorite world leader for his strong anti-Israel and anti-US stances, according to one respected survey.
What will he do in Syria?
“We will press ahead with strengthening relations according to the road map we put forward with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,” said Chávez.
Chávez then heads to Iran on Saturday to discuss bilateral energy agreements, among other things – including, perhaps, their shared disdain for US “hegemony.” Chávez and Mr. Ahmadinejad have visited each other’s respective countries many times in the past few years. Chávez was one of the first leaders to congratulate Ahmadinejad on his June election victory.
Among the handful of other nations to congratulate Ahmadinejad on winning an election that was, by most accounts, deeply flawed was tiny Belarus.
That nation is run by “Europe’s last dictator,” Alexander Lukashenko, who was banned from entering the European Union and the US for his crackdown on opposition leaders a few years ago.
It’s also where Chávez will wrap up his foreign tour.
Yeah, I think he’ll feel the love.
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2. Sillius sodus | 09.02.09
What an awful article! To bash all these countries by labelling them indirectly ‘wrong’ and evil’.
That the Christian Science Monitor endorses this is a real dissapointment and says a lot about the new low of yellow “journalism”.
3. Yaz Guergah | 09.02.09
This is a shock to me! I would never have expected in a million years that TCSM would put forward such a shallow and superficial piece. This cannot possibly be The Christian Science Monitor.
4. jim mc williams | 09.02.09
Mr Chavez has every right to visit any country he chooses without getting prior approval from the US .The US has to work to obtain its moral status after having invaded a country like Iraq based on lies and having tortured individuals , failing to allow prisoner to confront their accusers and failing to allow trials before judges .Once it holds someone accountable for these crimes and uses its influence to get the boot off the Haitian necks and uses its influence to obtain a fair an equitable settlement in the Middle East then the US and its contolled media can judge other counties and their behavior .
5. kevin | 09.03.09
How about Mr Chavez comes back to Venezuela, and actually put the oil money and his efforts into ridding the country of poverty, crime, high inflation, bare supermarket shelves and meddling in other countries affairs.
7. brian | 09.04.09
Once again the socalled free world press chooses to demonise a world leader and several countries whose only crime is to be free of US control.
Phrases like ‘Libyan strongman Muammar Qaddafi’ and ‘Venezuelan firebrand Hugo Chávez ‘ and ‘“Europe’s last dictator,” Alexander Lukashenko’ do not suggest the report is going to be honest journalism.
Its strange but none of these three leaders has invaded or backed invasions of other countries, all three are well respected if not in the US or EU then in the third world..where the US and EU have a long history of subjugation
8. Joe Cool | 09.14.09
Brian,
How long have you been a member of the Communist Party? Good grief, what exactly would you call those three brutal dictators…Mother Teresa? Obviously, you have never traveled anywhere in the world, wise up.
9. ed wilk | 09.24.09
what was Hugo Chavez’s role in the “coup” removing Pres Zelaya from office? has Chavez emboldened Zelaya to talk himself out of office? then the U.S. policy to support democratically elected officials would force the U.S. to support him instead of the winner of the upcoming election.
Get envolved while you can. Learn what’s taking place below the surface.
Remember that the freedom of speech wasn’t free. Someone paid for it.. Maybe with their lives. There are people all over the world who want what we have here in America. Mostly that impossible for them to get it unless they take it from us. Learn what we have and defend it.
Ed
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1. luke weyland, Sydney Australia | 09.02.09
Whilst the USA would much rather deal with “Moderate democrats” like the dictators who rule Saudi Arabia, Egypt, The Emirates, Qatar, Tajikstan, Uzbekistan, & Colombia.